Wander Lost

Fat-Bike ‘Trike’ Made Custom For Expedition To South Pole

This month a British woman is attempting to reach the South Pole via a three-wheel bike. The custom recumbent, made by Inspired Cycle Engineering, has 4.5-inch-wide tires and a steel frame.

Maria Leijerstam, age 35, trained in Siberia and Norway to prepare. In 2012, she biked 400 miles and took 2nd place in the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal, Russia.

Why a trike for Antarctica instead of two wheels? “Fat Bikes fail because they get blown over in the high winds,” Leijerstam said, “or [they] can’t ride fast enough through the snow to stay upright.” A trike is more stable and out of the wind.

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Managing Editor Sean McCoy is a life-long outdoorsman who grew up hunting and fishing central Wisconsin forests and lakes. He joined GearJunkie after a 10-year stint as a newspaperman in the Caribbean, where he learned sailing and wooden-boat repair. Based in Denver, McCoy is an avid trail runner, camper, hunter, angler, mountain biker, skier, and beer tester.

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